Thread: 8 Inches of Snow (WW Any)

As the wind whips the snow across the bawn, the crisp air forces the desert dweller to hunker down under the blankets. Already awake and unable to return to the peaceful land of dreams, Drahcir gets out of bed, cursing in Egpytian. Donning his BDU's and a pull over fleece, he crowns his head with the beanie and prepares for the morning run.

Opening the door outside, the payload of snow rigged, completes its task, though Drahcirs speed proves much more than shame can accomplish, stepping just out of reach of the snow. Outside the cabin his senses are assaulted by the winter of of Missouri. The cold air upon his face, biting at his ears and nose. The scent of food cooking is a welcome greeting. Looking over he see's Ashalyn and greets him with a shakey wave and nod.

"Morning..." Though his greeting is genuine, the bane of the cold has clearly crept in and makes it sound somewhat less than what it should be..."...Smells good..."

He begins stretching his muscles and preparing for the run.

Ashalyn smiles as he watches Drahcir step out of the way, secretly hoping it would have been Melanie; but not entirely surprised at the end result.

As Drahcir steps out of his cabin, Ashalyn smiles to him, "Aye, Happy Christmas to yeh. Feel free ta bring a bowl fer some stew and pick a critter if'n yer hungry. I got cider inside if yeh want summadat too."

From Claudia's cabin, colorful words in Romani, Egyptian, and in English spew forth with the disappointment that only a warm weather dweller can manager. Several thumps and thuds can be heard as well
"Oh my god! The floor is FREEZING! Where the hell is the heater?!" Someone had taken the small space heater she had smuggled in.
Donning longjohns, jeans and long sleeved shirt, followed by sweatpants and sweatshirt, followed by three pairs of socks, followed by a heavy coat, Claudia stepped outside with a grumpy frown and a cup of steaming coffee.

As the snow tumbled down atop her head and into her coffee, she glowered around the clearing.
"You have GOT to be fucking KIDDING ME! Are you TWELVE?!" She turned back around hiding the smile on her face. She hated snow, and cold, but she knew that this meant she was considered one of them. She'd seen other kids growing up do this kind of thing, but only to friends and family. Maybe this would be her new family, maybe...
She went back inside, changed out the top two layers of clothes and put on sturdier boots and gloves and got a new cup of coffee. She came back outside, putting her glower back on and sat in her porch chair sipping the hot hot liquid. She casually noted the snowballs and Ashalyn and Drahcir. Being a fellow desert rat she quickly discounted his involvement.
Claudia tried to be sneaky as she grabbed one of the pre-made snowballs and sent it sailing toward Ashalyn's head, with a good degree of accuracy.
"Ya dirty snow lover!"

Drahcir nods and quickly takes off for his run. Normally, he enjoyed anyones company for the morning ritual. Normally, this day brought an intense measure of joy and warm feelings. Warm enough to keep the cold far far away.

Christmas. Playing in the snow, building snowmen, snowball fights. Watching his girls steady themselves on the ice skating rink. Watching her look like a snow bunny, wrapped in her scarf and vest.

As his legs powered through the snow drifts to the South, each step began to feel heavier and heavier. Lifting his legs, one at a time, seemed greater and greater a chore to be completed. He could have used his gifts. Gaia had ensured he could survive the cold. The could have used the eternals gift; the Shemsu-Heru garunteed it. Yet, every step became a greater and greater hardship, until he was running now no more than one of the naked trees planted there a hundred years ago.

The cold crept into him and made his ears and nose numb. The tears rolling down his face stung as they mingled with the already burning cold skin. There would be no more Christmases for his girls. No more snowmen for Jade. No more presents for Lily...no more exclamations from Claudia, "Come here Daddy! Look at my snow angel!"

His mind filled again with the serpents glimmering golden eyes and hearing the serpents tongue slither out of his mouth with that glib smile. “It seems in your sleep, you missed the chance to save the other one…but we took care of her. Don’t you worry jackal.” He motioned down to the side of the bed where Claudia’s body lay limp and lifeless…blood coming from between her legs.


He pulled the 9mm pistol from his shoulder holster, dropping to his knees in the cold snow. The cold steel clacked against his teeth as he witnessed the vipers biting his little girls as they lay unconscious on the floor. Jamming the barrel to the back of his throat, he prayed to anyone that would allow him to pull the trigger. Instinctually, Gaia first came to mind, but, she wasnt about to let her brood off itself. Then, the Eternal, maybe he would end the cycle for Drahcir.


Nothing...then, the darkest fears began to take shape...


Perhaps.....perhaps they would simply consume him and take him from this place...


Perhaps, another time....but, why not now? Why not just get it over with?


He laid in the snow for some time, crying in his anguish...Without noticing, the small down covered childlike form got up from within him and took a few small steps, turning and looking down on him with baleful yellow eyes. Its head hung low as its long limb raised and wiggled its fingers in a chil-like "Goodbye", before walking behind a tree, it turned again and said only a few words...."It's time to get up now..."


Drahcir walked back to the cabin line, quietly, with a far off look in his eyes.

Eimile woke to the smell of cooking meat and the light of the rising sun. Sitting up in her small bed, she noted the absence of her brother while also seeing the small heater he had placed nearby to keep her warm. She looked to the window with a huge grin, "Snow!"

Jumping out of bed, she pulled on a pair of warm leggings covering them with jeans and sweater. She sat on the edge of the bed to pull on socks and her boots, then secured her hair in a tie. As she approached the door, memories of the last winter at Tara flickered in her mind and she laughed. "Will'na catch me wit' dat trick again!" she murmured.

Turning the other direction she eased the window open as quietly as she could, pulling herself up and over the sill to drop softly down to the snow covered ground. She could hear now the others waking, Drahcir and Claudia fallen prey to Ash's prank. As she came around the side of the cabin she saw the first snowball find it's mark on her brother's head and in retaliation she launched one back at Claudia before running, laughing over to the fires.

Ashalyn took his snowball to the face with no small amount of understanding that he deserved it. He smiled and wiped the snow out of his face as he looked to Claudia, raising his glass to her, "Top o'deh mornin' to yeh. Didn' figgire you Striders would much care fer deh snow, but as far as I could tell deh only way teh get used ta sumpthin' is ta face it head on."

His eyes flit to Eimile who launches her snowball at Claudia. Ashalyn laugh and kneels down, scooping up two handfuls of snow after putting down his tin. He launches one at Claudia and then immediately another at Eimile. His eyes glance to the food for a moment and then back to the coming snowball fight.

Claudia gracefully dodges both the incoming snowball from Eimile and Ashalyn and sips peacefully at her coffee ignoring the imminent snowball fight as best she can. She had retaliated and now she was done with the abhorrent cold white stuff as long as they would let her be.

Drahcir returns to the cabin line and gets a mug of hot cider, then returns to the group. He sits next to Claudia and smiles briefly to her, "morning..."

Sam wanders out of his cabin, bleary eyed, holding a cup of steaming coffee, shirtless, the scar on his chest grinning madly even as the snow comes pouring down.

"HOLYFUCKINGSHIT!!!"

He exclaims as the snow pours down on his bare skin. His eyes go wide and he shakes the snow off.

(assuming that Ashalyn is laughing like a maniac)

Sam looks ROYALLY pissed for several seconds, then grins widely.

"you fucker... that was good... Oh fuck you're SO gonna pay for that... but that was good."

Sam chuckles, with a shiver, and grabs one of the snowballs, and wings it at Ash.

"Tag, irish."